

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">

<html>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript" src="helpman_topicinit.js"></script>

<title>Quick Linker Definition Format [Enterprise Architect User Guide]</title>

<meta name="keywords" content="Enterprise Architect, Sparx Systems, UML, Quick Linker,Quick Linker Definition Format">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1" />
<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" />

<link type="text/css" href="default.css" rel="stylesheet" />
<style type="text/css">
  A, A:Visited
  {
    color: #00F;
  }

  A:Active, A:Hover
  {
    color: #F00;
  }

  OL
  {
    margin: 5px 0 5px 48px;
  }

  UL
  {
    margin-bottom: 3px;
    margin-top: 0;
  }

  #nsr
  {
    background-color: #D4DFFF;
  }

  #nsr A
  {
    text-decoration: none;
  }

  #mainbody
  {
    padding: 8px;
  }

  .p_BodyText
  {
    padding: 5px 0;
  }
</style>



<style type="text/css" media="screen">
  BODY
  {
    background-color: #FFFFFF;
  }

  #nsr
  {
    padding: 6px 6px 0 6px;
    border-bottom: none;
    vertical-align: top;
    z-index: 2;
    visibility: visible;
    left: 0;
    top: 0;
    position: absolute;
  }

  #mainbody
  {
    left: 0;
    top: 0;
    margin: 0;
    position: absolute;
    padding: 10px;
    overflow: auto;
    height: 100%;
    z-index: 1;
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    background-position: bottom right;
    background-attachment: fixed;
  }
</style>

<style type="text/css" media="print">
  #nsr
  {
    visibility: none;
  }

  #mainbody
  {
    overflow: visible;
  }
</style>
<script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript" src="nonscroll.js"></script>

</head>
<body scroll="no">

<div id="page">



        <div id="content">
          <div id="content-inner">
          



  
          <div id="nsr">
            <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%">
              <tr valign="top">
                <td align="left">
  


                  <p class="p_Heading1"><span class="f_Heading1">Quick Linker Definition Format</span></p>



  
                </td>
                <td align="right">
                  <a href="introduction.htm" onmouseover="document.images.main.src='button_main_h.gif'" onmouseout="document.images.main.src='button_main.gif'">
                    <img name="main" src="button_main.gif" border=0 alt="Return to Introduction">
                  </a>&nbsp;
    
                  <a href="quick_linker_definitions.htm" onmouseover="document.images.prev.src='button_prev_h.gif'" onmouseout="document.images.prev.src='button_prev.gif'">
                    <img name=prev src="button_prev.gif" border=0 alt="Previous page" />
                  </a>&nbsp;
    
    
    
                  <a href="quick_linker_example.htm" onmouseover="document.images.next.src='button_next_h.gif'" onmouseout="document.images.next.src='button_next.gif'">
                    <img name=next src="button_next.gif" border=0 alt="Next page" />
                  </a>
    
    
                </td>
              </tr>
            </table>
          </div>
          <div id="mainbody">
  


                <p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">A Quick Linker definition is a text file consisting of records terminated by new-line characters. Each record must consist of 23 comma-separated fields, as defined by the table below. The values of each field must not be in quotes (&quot; &quot;). A Quick Linker definition can include comments: all lines that begin with </span><span class="f_BodyText">// are ignored by Enterprise Architect.</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">Each record of the Quick Linker definition represents a single entry on the Quick Linker menu. Some fields define the menu command; some fields can be thought of as filters, with the entry being ignored if the filter condition isn't met.</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">A Quick Linker definition has the following fields.</span></p>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; margin: 5px 0px 5px 13px;"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="border: none; border-spacing:0px; border-collapse: collapse;">
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" bgcolor="#e3e6ed" style="width:66px; background-color:#e3e6ed; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tableheader"><span class="f_Tableheader">Column</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" bgcolor="#e3e6ed" style="width:172px; background-color:#e3e6ed; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tableheader"><span class="f_Tableheader">Field</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" bgcolor="#e3e6ed" style="width:558px; background-color:#e3e6ed; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tableheader"><span class="f_Tableheader">Description</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">A</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Source Element Type</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">The row is ignored unless a connector is being dragged away from this type of element.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">B</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Source Stereotype Filter</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set, the row is ignored unless a connector is being dragged away from an element with this stereotype.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">C</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Target Element Type</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set, the row is ignored unless a connector is being dragged onto this type of element.</span></p>
<p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If blank, the row is ignored unless a connector is being dragged onto an empty piece of diagram.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">D</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Target Stereotype Filter</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set and </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Target Element Type</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> also set, the row is ignored unless a connector is being dragged onto an element with this stereotype.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">E</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Diagram Filter</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">Contains either an inclusive or exclusive list of diagrams, which limits the diagrams the given kind of connector can be included on.</span></p>
<p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">Each diagram name is terminated by a semi-colon. Excluded diagram names are preceded by an exclamation mark.</span></p>
<p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">Example of an inclusive list: </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-style: italic;">Collaboration;Object;Custom;</span></p>
<p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">Example of an Exclusive list: </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-style: italic;">!Sequence;</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">F</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">New Element Type</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set and </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Create Element</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> also set, results in the creation of an element of this type.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">G</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">New Element Stereotype</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set and </span><span class="f_MenuKeyField">Create Element</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> also set, results in the creation of an element with this stereotype.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">H</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">New Link Type</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set and </span><span class="f_MenuKeyField">Create Link</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> also set, results in the creation of a connector of this type.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">I</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">New Link Stereotype</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set and </span><span class="f_MenuKeyField">Create Link</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> also set, results in the creation of a connector with this stereotype.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">J</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">New Link Direction</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">Can be:</span></p>
<ul style="text-indent: 0px; margin-left: 30px; list-style-position: outside;">
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1">directed (always creates an association from source to target)</span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1">from (always creates an association from target to source)</span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1">undirected (always creates an association with unspecified direction)</span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1">bidirectional (always creates a bi-directional association), or</span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1">to (creates either a directed or undirected association, depending on the value of the </span><span class="f_MenuKeyField">Association Direction</span><span class="f_Bulletlist1"> option).</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 0px; margin: 4px 2px 4px 2px;"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" border="0" style="border: none; border-spacing:0px;">
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom;">
<td valign="bottom" bgcolor="#efeff7" style="background-color:#efeff7;"><p class="p_TiporNote" style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none;"><span class="f_TiporNote">Note:</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;">
<td bgcolor="#f7f7ff" style="background-color:#f7f7ff;"><p class="p_TiporNoteText"><span class="f_TiporNoteText">Not all of the above work with all connector types; for example, you cannot create a bi-directional Generalization.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">K</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">New Link Caption</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If a new connector is being created but not a new element, then this is the text that appears on the context menu.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">L</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">New Link &amp; Element Caption</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If a new connector AND a new element are being created, then this is the text that appears on the context menu.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">M</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Create Link</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set to </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">TRUE</span><span class="f_Tabletext">, results in creation of a new connector; otherwise should be left blank.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">N</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Create Element</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set to </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">TRUE</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> the row is ignored unless a connector is being dragged onto an empty piece of diagram and results in creation of a new element; otherwise should be left blank.</span></p>
<p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">This overrides the values of </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Target Element Type</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> and </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Target Stereotype Filter</span><span class="f_Tabletext">.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">O</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Disallow Self connector</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">Should be set to </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">TRUE</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> if self connectors are invalid for this kind of connector; otherwise should be left blank.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">P</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Exclusive to ST Filter +</span><br>
<span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">No inherit from Metatype</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set to </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">TRUE</span><span class="f_Tabletext">, indicates that elements of type </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-style: italic;">Source Element Type</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> with the stereotype </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-style: italic;">Source Stereotype</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-style: italic;">Filter</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> do not display the Quick Linker definitions of the equivalent unstereotyped element.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Q</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Menu Group</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set, indicates the name of a sub-menu in which a menu item is created.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">R</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Complexity Level</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">Not implemented, always set to </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">0</span><span class="f_Tabletext">.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">S</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Target Must Be Parent</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set to </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">TRUE</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> this menu item only appears when dragging from a child element to its parent; for example from a port to its containing Class.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">T</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Embed element</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set to </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">TRUE</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> the element being created is embedded in the target element; otherwise should be left blank.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">U</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Precedes Separator LEAF</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set to </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">TRUE</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> results in a menu separator being added to the Quick Linker menu; otherwise should be left blank.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">V</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Precedes Separator GROUP</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">If set to </span><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">TRUE</span><span class="f_Tabletext"> results in a menu separator being added to the Quick Linker sub-menu; otherwise should be left blank.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">
<td valign="top" width="66" style="width:66px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">W</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="172" style="width:172px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext" style="font-weight: bold;">Dummy Column</span></p>
</td>
<td valign="top" width="558" style="width:558px; border: solid 1px #000000;"><p class="p_Tabletext"><span class="f_Tabletext">Depending on which spreadsheet application you use, this column might require a value in every cell to force CSV export to work correctly with trailing blank values.</span></p>
</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>




            </div>
          </div>
        </div>



</div>


</body>
</html>
